Rapist who struck 'to teach women a lesson'

A man who raped women to “teach them a lesson” for being out at night was
jailed indefinitely yesterday.

After Islam’s arrest, his DNA was linked with three other attacks near his home in BarkingPhoto: National News and Pictures

7:00AM GMT 26 Jan 2012

Sunny Islam, 23, dragged away his victims, including a 15 year-old, at knifepoint, then bound and assaulted them.

Police fear that Islam, who raped four women over three months in east London, may have attacked many more.

At Woolwich Crown Court, Judge Patricia Lees sentenced Islam to a minimum sentence of 11 years before he is considered for parole. She told him: “The nature and extent of these offences drives me to the conclusion that you represent an extreme and continuing danger to women, particularly those out at night.”

Islam was traced through the number plate of his girlfriend’s car after he kidnapped and raped the 15 year-old in September 2010. He grabbed her from behind as she walked home with a friend, then drove her to a secluded spot where he raped her twice.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, the teenager said: “No one will ever understand the flashbacks, they are so real, at night I lay in my bed and it is like I am there.

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“It is like a screen in my mind forcing me to relive that night again and again. People will say time will heal, but I think time has helped me accept the truth — that I will never escape what happened.”

Judge Lees said: “You told her you were going to 'teach her a lesson’. Those words are a chilling indictment of your very troubling attitude towards all of these victims. You seem to observe women out at night as not deserving respect or protection.”

After Islam’s arrest, his DNA was linked with three other attacks near his home in Barking, said Sara Lawson, prosecuting.

On July 8, 2010 Islam raped a 20-year-old prostitute twice, then six days later attacked a 28 year-old, dragging her into his car where he forced her to perform a sex act. She managed to escape by kicking out the back window.

The fourth victim, a 30 year-old who was also attacked in September, did not come forward until police identified her blood in the back of the car.

Islam, who told the jury he was a practising Muslim, was convicted of seven charges of rape, one of sexual assault and one of kidnap.